Wall construction and tie therefor



Dec. 19,1922.

A. o. THON/IAS.l wALL CONSTRUCTION AND TIE THENETON.

FILED IAN. 20, 1921.

Patented Dec. lg, i922.

htddt WALL CONSTRUCEON AND TIE THEREFOR.

Application filed January 20, 1921. Serial No. 438,589.

T0 all waom` t may concern.'

Be it known that lf, AVILA C. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and citate of Michigan, haveinvented a newand useful `Wall Construction and Tie Therefor, of whichthe following is a specification.

'This invention relates to a wall construction and tie therefor, andrelates more particularly to a sectional tile wall andk tie members forconnecting the sections of tile.

Applicants co-pending application, Serial Number 438,570, leddanuary 20,1921, is directed to those features of the construction independent ofthe specific nature of the tie.

It is the object of the invention to provide a bond or tie member withtensioning wedge therefor, which parts may be inexpensively formed ofstrap metal or of sheet metal stampings, and which will permit of aninterlocking engagement between the tie member and wedge as will securethe latter firmly in its tension-exerting position.

In attaining this object the invention contemplates forming a tie memberof a strip of strap iron or the like folded at one end to produce a headpreferably of a T-shape, the other end portion of said tie member beingreturn-bent for engagement by a channel-shaped tensioning wedge, thereturn-bent end of the tie being so engaged within an aperture of theadjacent tile member as to withstand the tensioning stress, and thewedge having an elongated extremity at one side of the channel thereinadapted to be bent into interlocking` engagement with the tie member. f

A preferred embodiment of the invention is hereinafter described and isillustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein,

Fig. l is a perspective view of the improved tie member.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of a tile wall showing tie membersemployed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the tile members, showing theengagement therewith of a tie member and a tensioning wedge for saidmember.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of said wedge. In these views the referencecharacters l and 2 designate tile members arranged in complementarypairs spaced for the greater portion of their extent so as to formhollow tiles or blocks, said members having abutting vertical ribs Badjacent their ends, une horizontal ribs 4 adjacent their top and bottomedges. At the joints between the ends of the .two-part tiles l, thereare formed columnar openings 5, and tie members 6 are extendeddiagonally of said opening between the outer tile member l of each blockor tile and the inner tile member 2 of the adjacent block or tile.The-openings 5 are filled with concrete (or the like) 7 and the tiemembers 6 function primarily to resist the outward pressure exerted bythe filling 7 while in plastic form. Said tie members, which arepreferably formed of strap metal, are folded at one extremity to form aT-shaped head S, and are return-bent at their other ends as indicated at9. The members l and 2 are formed with diagonally registered aperturesl0 for engagement by said tie members, and the return-bent end portion 9extends into the aperture l() of the adjacent tile member so as tobetter withstand tension stresses. Within the return-bend 9 achannel-shaped wedge member l1 is engaged, said member being preferablyformed of sheet-metal- The reduced end portion of said wedge has asomewhat greater extent at one side of the channel than at the other sothat it may be bent, as indicated by dash lines in Fig. 4 to engage thetie member and maintain the wedge in its tension-exerting position. Itis preferred to form the exterior faces of the tile members l and 2 withV-shaped pockets l2 having walls paralleling the diagonals of theopenings 5, in which walls the apertures 10 open. Said pockets receivethe headed and wedge-engaged ends of the tie members and prevent thelatter projecting undesirably beyond the inner or other faces of thewall. By giving said recesses the described shape a maximum bearingsurface is provided for the heads 8 of the ties and the wedges 1l.

Both the tie members and wedge membersI` which have been abovedescribed, are adapted to be manufactured at low cost. Furthermore,insertion of the tie 6 in the openings 10 may be very quicklyaccomplished, as may also the engagement of the wedges 11 with said tiemembersand the interlocking of the wedges with the ties to hold theformer in place.

What I claim is:

l. In a device of the character described, the combination with a tiemember, of a sheet-metal wedge tensioning said member and hai/ing; ereduced readily hendihle poi tion engageabie with :in edge oft the tiemenibei to maintain the tension-exerting position ot said wedge. e

2. n u device of the character deeerihecl, the combination with e tiemember, oi sheet-metal Wedge tensioning seid member, seid wedge ioiminge vClmnnel of varying depth, one side ot Said channel being extenfleflbelow the wedge to forni e. locking element benda-ble to engage the tiemember and retain the wee ge in its position of use.

3. ln a device ot the ohaiacte elessfciibed, the coi'nhination with :itie menhei1 of a sheet-metal Wedge tensioning Said memhei', Seial WedgeYforming a ehennel of Varying depth, and haviifig` a readily bendableielucecl extension from its smalleib end e'ngageable by benchng With thetie member to hold 'the Wedge in its position of use.

ln testimony whereof sign this specieation.

AVILA O. THOR/IAS.

